Ultrafiltration attenuates cardiopulmonary bypass–induced acute lung injury in a canine model of single-lung transplantation

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass and ultrafiltration on graft function in a canine single-lung transplantation model.MethodsFifteen left single-lung transplantations were done in weight-mismatched canine pairs. The animals were divided into 3 groups: group 1, in which transplantation was done without cardiopulmonary bypass; group 2, in which transplantation was done with cardiopulmonary bypass and in which the cardiopulmonary bypass flow was decreased slowly with controlled pulmonary artery pressure; and group 3, in which transplantation was done with cardiopulmonary bypass and ultrafiltration. Hemodynamic parameters and lung function were monitored for 6 hours after reperfusion. The grafts were harvested for histologic studies, myeloperoxidase assay, and real-time quantitive reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction of mRNA encoding interleukin 6.ResultsThe hemodynamic parameters were similar among the 3 groups. In group 1 Pao2 and alveolar to arterial gradient for O2 levels were excellent throughout the 6-hour observation period, but in group 2 they progressively deteriorated. However, ultrafiltration significantly (P = .02) improved the Pao2 level in group 3. On histology, interstitial edema and polynuclear cell infiltration were most marked in group 2 and significantly worse than in groups 1 and 3. Myeloperoxidase assay and real-time quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction showed increased myeloperoxidase activity and interleukin 6 gene expression in group 2 grafts compared with group 1 grafts. Myeloperoxidase activity and interleukin 6 gene expression were suppressed with ultrafiltration.ConclusionsCardiopulmonary bypass had negative effects on the graft, but ultrafiltration attenuated acute lung dysfunction by reducing the inflammatory response

Use of FDG-PET in Radiation Treatment Planning for Thoracic Cancers

Radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment for thoracic cancers. Accurate diagnosis is essential to correctly perform curative radiotherapy. Tumor delineation is also important to prevent geographic misses in radiotherapy planning. Currently, planning is based on computed tomography (CT) imaging when radiation oncologists manually contour the tumor, and this practice often induces interobserver variability. F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been reported to enable accurate staging and detect tumor extension in several thoracic cancers, such as lung cancer and esophageal cancer. FDG-PET imaging has many potential advantages in radiotherapy planning for these cancers, because it can add biological information to conventional anatomical images and decrease the inter-observer variability. FDG-PET improves radiotherapy volume and enables dose escalation without causing severe side effects, especially in lung cancer patients. The main advantage of FDG-PET for esophageal cancer patients is the detection of unrecognized lymph node or distal metastases. However, automatic delineation by FDG-PET is still controversial in these tumors, despite the initial expectations. We will review the role of FDG-PET in radiotherapy for thoracic cancers, including lung cancer and esophageal cancer

Signal-transducing adaptor protein-2 modulates T-cell functions

Immune responses are orchestrated by controlling the initiation, magnitude, and duration of various signaling pathways. Adaptor proteins act as positive or negative regulators by targeting critical molecules of signaling cascades. Signal-transducing adaptor protein-2 (STAP-2) contains typical features of adaptor proteins, like a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain in the N-terminal region and a Src homology 2 (SH2) domain in the central region. STAP-2 binds to a variety of signaling or transcriptional molecules to control multiple steps of inflammatory/immune responses. STAP-2 enhances T-cell receptor (TCR)-mediated signaling via the association with TCR-proximal CD3ζ immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) and lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck). STAP-2 decreases adherence of T-cells to fibronectin (FN) through an association with focal adhesion kinase (Fak) and Casitas B-lineage Lymphoma (c-Cbl), and increases chemotaxis of T-cells toward stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) through interactions with Vav1 and Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1). STAP-2 positively regulates activation-induced cell deathrough the association with Fas and caspase-8. This review describes the current knowledge of the roles of STAP-2 in T-cell-dependent immune responses and the possible clinical utility of STAP-2-targeting therapies

Morphological character changes through decapodid-stage larva and juveniles in the ghost shrimp Nihonotrypaea harmandi from western Kyushu, Japan: Clues for inferring pre- and post-settlement states and processes

Some decapod crustaceans release larvae from estuarine or coastal shores to coastal oceans. Decapodids (last-stage larvae) return home, settle, and metamorphose into juveniles I, which go through further instars. Several morphological characters degenerate or develop in response to lifestyle transitions. Using a burrow-dwelling callianassid shrimp, Nihonotrypaea harmandi, inhabiting an intertidal sandflat in a coastal boundary layer adjacent to coastal ocean, this study described morphological changes and drew inferences about states and processes in its early life history. Decapodid and juveniles were differentiated by linea thalassinica on carapace. In the laboratory, the decapodid stage lasted 3-6d. Given choice between sandy sediments from coastal ocean bed and adult habitat, decapodids exhibited no preference, suggesting broad receptiveness. The shortest durations of the juvenile-I, -II, and -III were estimated at 6d each. Starved decapodids normally metamorphosed into juveniles I, showing secondary lecithotrophy. The non-feeding state could be extended through the juvenile I (and possibly juvenile II), where the mean total lengths of shrimps reared in groups with food (diatoms) remained about 4.6mm. Post-settlement decapodids reared individually resumed feeding. The rostrum lengths in decapodids were ≥0.36mm on the initial two dates (Days 0 and 1), after which the mean values rapidly reduced to 0.30-0.36mm on Day 2 and below 0.30mm thereafter. The pereiopod exopods disappeared through the decapodid stage from four pairs to almost zero by Day 4. In the coastal ocean, no juveniles occurred, and almost all decapodids had rostrum lengths ≥0.30mm and 3 or 4 pereiopod exopods, suggesting their pre-settlement state. Of the smallest shrimps collected on the sandflat for their subsequent rearing there, 74% were estimated to be Day-0 or -1 decapodids based on their rostrum lengths. This and the laboratory experimental results suggest (1) the acquisition of competence for settlement by newly-metamorphosed decapodids while in the coastal ocean, which was nevertheless realized there and (2) their rapid transport by flood tidal currents from coastal ocean to sandflat. The newly-settled decapodids grew steadily at 0.2mmd-1 in total length. The reared juveniles reached the smallest adult size in 80d. The uropod expod changed from elliptical to sub-circular in shape markedly around the termination of the juvenile II or III, suggesting the acquisition of ventilating function for benthic life. Overall, the post-settlement shrimps can be staged by total-length ranges as 4-5.5mm for decapodids, 5.5-10mm for juveniles, and 10-20mm for sub-adults. •Decapodid and juveniles of a callianassid shrimp were reared in laboratory and field.•Ontogenetic morphological change and growth in decapodid and juveniles were given.•Feeding mode, substratum selectivity, and duration for decapodid stage were examined•Two degenerating characters gave clues to infer states in field-collected decapodids.•One developing character in juveniles was related with burrow-dwelling lifestyle

On-site correlation in valence and core states of ferromagnetic nickel

We present a method which allows to include narrow-band correlation effects into the description of both valence and core states and we apply it to the prototypical case of nickel. The results of an ab-initio band calculation are used as input mean-field eigenstates for the calculation of self-energy corrections and spectral functions according to a three-body scattering solution of a multi-orbital Hubbard hamiltonian. The calculated quasi-particle spectra show a remarkable agreement with photoemission data in terms of band width, exchange splitting, satellite energy position of valence states, spin polarization of both the main line and the satellite of the 3p core level.Comment: 14 pages, 10 PostScript figures, RevTeX, submitted to PR

Prospective Study of Isolated Recurrent Tumor Re-irradiation With Carbon-Ion Beams

Purpose: To perform a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of isolated recurrent tumor re-irradiation with carbon-ion radiotherapy (RT).Methods and Materials: The inclusion criteria were clinically proven recurrent tumors, measurable by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, patients ≥ 16 years old, performance status scores between 0 and 2, isolated tumor at a previously irradiated site, and a life expectancy > 6 months. The exclusion criteria were tumor invasion into the gastrointestinal tract or a major blood vessel, uncontrolled infection, early recurrence (<3 months), and severe concomitant diseases. The primary end-point was the local control rate, the secondary end-points including the overall survival rate, and adverse events.Results: Between December 2013 and March 2016, 22 patients were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients were re-irradiated with carbon-ion RT with radical intent. Five patients had rectal cancer, 4 had sarcoma, 4 had lung cancer, 3 had hepatic cell carcinoma, and 6 had other tumors. The median follow-up time was 26 months. Eight patients developed local recurrence, and the 1- and 2-year local control rates were 71 and 60%, respectively. Eight patients died of their cancers and 2 died of other diseases. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 76 and 67%, respectively. There were no grade 2 or higher acute adverse events and 4 patients (18%) developed grade 3 late adverse events. The group with the longer interval (>16 months) between the first RT and re-irradiation had significantly better outcomes than the shorter interval group (≤ 16 months).Conclusions: Re-irradiation, using carbon-ion RT with radical intent, had favorable local control and overall survival rates without severe toxicities for selected patients. Re-irradiation has the potential to improve clinical outcomes for isolated, local, recurrent tumors; further investigations are required to confirm the therapeutic efficacy